2 hrs and 5 minutes just to get home from Buc ee's….

[drrbc]

2 hrs and 5 minutes just to get home from Buc ee's….



Not impressed, huh?

Me either, really.



Now?

Nope? Still?



How about… now?

(this was just for fun. when I get some time I'll test. until then, call this nothing more than "an interesting observation")

[UltArc]

I look forward to the testing.

[aerohead]

20.6 mpg is a really good 'ave' mpg for an F-150.
Some more data about the trip would help.

[drrbc]

Originally Posted by aerohead

20.6 mpg is a really good 'ave' mpg for an F-150.
Some more data about the trip would help.

Firstly, the truck is a 2013 Screw 5.0 with a Volant ram air CAI and a Magnaflow SIDO. The tune is an MPT 93 octane eco/street. Tonneau is a BakFlip G2.

Aftermarket 32" tire/rim set gives a 7lb. advantage at each corner over the 30" stock setup. The Cooper Discoverer CTS's are over inflated to 44psi.

I roll Cholo on a 2/2 drop.



Monitoring is via an ELM 327 Wifi to an iPad running DashCommand (the iPad is secured to a hard point I modded into the dash tray).



"Stage 1" of my DIY Aerocap is a 10 inch extension off the cab. Made almost entirely of 3mm & 4mm PVC foam board (Sintra) joined with cyanoacrylate. It features an acrylic cab taillight "lens" that doubles as the keystone of the center span.





Last Thursday (6/11/15) was heading home from Texas State. Stopped for BBQ in Luling (brisket/sausage, pea salad, cole slaw, sweet tea), and then at Buc ee's at 183 & I-10 for gas (93 octane).

Pulled onto I-10 just a touch before 2pm. IIRC, winds from the S at @ 10mph, temp was about 90.

Just after entering a Raptor pulling a trailer blew past and kinda pissed me off- so I dropped the hammer. The piss-off quickly changed to inspiration so I dropped in behind and let him pull me along.

Didn't stay with the Raptor very long as on this "Perfect Storm" of a day I found myself in a target rich environment. Needless to say, but I endeavored to do my best RL Petty imitation for the next two hours.

So at this point I'd like to give a shout out of "Thanks" to that boy hauling that 50ft cement I-beam (and who seemed to be in a great hurry).

And as far as that 2 mile section of construction goes… well, it is a truck after all.

Sorry if there's too much information, but I always liked their BBQ & felt they deserved to be mentioned.

[BamZipPow]

Ah...yer numbers are partially based on drafting behind someone. What was yer set/average speed?

Can't wait to see how yer aero cap turns out.

[drrbc]

Originally Posted by BamZipPow

Ah...yer numbers are partially based on drafting behind someone. What was yer set/average speed?

Can't wait to see how yer aero cap turns out.

Hate saying this because it sounds like I was being unsafe, but I gotta give that one up. My guess is a lot of us have done the same (and probably fairly routinely do)- but I'm not making excuses.

But yeah, I was drafting like it was Talladega!

The traffic was good and the big rigs were all going over 80. And in all honesty I don't recall seeing any brake lights until we hit the construction. What I'd do is drop in about 4 truck lengths behind the big rigs and titrate the gas to keep the instant in the 20's and not lose distance. Always drive stocking foot on the right.

But I was hitting 2200-2300 rpm at times. 2000 is 72mph. Wasn't kidding about the 2hr 5 minutes. The black and whites stayed on the west bound side.

And wouldn't you know on my off days we're going to get a storm. I was planning on doing some 11pm 80 to 50 ABBA's on some flat sections nearby, but that looks like it's going to be on hold for a few weeks longer. C'est la vie.

[drrbc]

Trip home this am. Three stop lights, two stop signs, and the rest all highway. 60-63 mph and this time NO drafting.

Upgrading my "interesting observation" to "Hmm… could be on to something here". I'll give the level of evidence a "B". More to come.